West Point cadets tour ARL-Orlando, learn about Team Orlando

West Point cadets visited the Army Research Lab Orlando where Col. Harold Buhl introduced the hierarchy of Research and Development Command and the Acquisition pathways. Photo credit: ARL-Orlando

While attending the 2017 Symposium on Science, Technology and Advanced Robotics, an interdisciplinary team of 12 cadets and faculty visited Team Orlando, starting their visit at ARL-Orlando. The group received hands-on demonstrations of research being conducted by the Advanced Training and Simulation Division in medical simulation, and augmented and virtual reality.

During the medical simulation portion of the tour, the group learned about the life-saving techniques that are trained using the multiple amputee trauma trainer, and the advances in realism of moulage for training events. They saw current research for measuring tension strength of synthetic tissue and instrumenting a laryngoscope for airway practice.

The group was able to dig into the Augmented REality Sandtable (ARES) helping shape the battlefield for training or operations. They also examined countless other ways the software for ARES could be used to support a variety of other training goals.

Finally, the cadets donned helmet-mounted displays that placed them into an augmented environment that allowed virtual characters to be obscured like in real life. They were also able to engage an enemy force using the MK-19 in an augmented environment.

At the close of the visit BG Cole, PEO for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation sat with the group and chatted with them about their future goals, career paths and opportunities in the Army.

Following their time at ARL-Orlando, the cadets were hosted for an overview of Team Orlando by National Center for Simulation President and CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret) Tom Baptiste, and Dr. Michael Macedonia, associate vice president of research at the University of Central Florida, presented graduate school opportunities as well as topics from the DoD Defense Science Board.

The cadets seem very impressed with their visit, and expressed excitement about returning next year. Read more about their visit in the U.S. Military Academy at West Point paper, Pointer View.